US3414119A

US3414119A - Pill carrying and dispencing device

Info

Publication number: US3414119A
Application number: US575677A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Eugene B Finch
Original assignee: Container Corp
Current assignee: Container Corp; Smurfit Kappa Packaging Corp
Priority date: 1966-08-29
Filing date: 1966-08-29
Publication date: 1968-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-03

Description

E. B.. F'INCH, JR

Dec. 3, 1968l vFUJI., CARRYING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29.' 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l I uw Dec. 3, 1968 5.13, FINCH, .1R

PILL CARRYING ANDv DISPENSING DEVICE med Aug. 29, 196e 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ||||||Illl|1wm1 NNN ,Illlllllllllllllllllll ||||||I||\ wh ww www Nm. Nw Nw United States Patent O 3 414,119 PILL CARRYING AD DISPENCING DEVICE Eugene B. Finch, Jr., Elmwood Park, Ill., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 575,677 9 Claims. (Cl. 206-42) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A case for carrying and dispensing medicine pills or the like comprising a pair of generally similar outer sections hingedly interconnected at their rear edges and open at their front sides and a pair of trays open on one side positioned 'within respective sections with bottoms in back-to-back relation.

This invention relates to an improvement in a container or package for carrying and dispensing small articles such as tablets, capsules, pills or the like.

The invention comprehends a container, preferably formed of plastic material, comprising an outer case formed of a pair of hingedly interconnected sections adapted to receive a pair of slidably mounted article carrying trays.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved carrying and dispensing device for tablets which is of simple design and construction and which is capable of dispensing one or two tablets at a time.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a tablet carrying and dispensing device comprising an outer case with at least one inner tray slidably mounted for insertion and removal and having indexing means accommodating the partial withdrawal of the tray at selective predetermined positions for dispensing a limited number of articles from the package.

These and yother objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a dispensing device embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device illustrated in FIGURE l, with a tray member shown in an open or dispensing position;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are transverse vertical sections taken on lines 3-3 and 4--4, respectively, of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the interior of the device shown in an open position; and

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are believed to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, and particularly to FIGURE l, it will be seen that the novel carrying case and dispensing device, indicated generally at 10, includes a pair of generally similar iirst and second outer case sections 12 and 14, respectively, which are adapted to slida'bly receive a pair of similar trays or drawer-like

members

16 and 18.

The first and second or top and bottom sections of the outer case are generally similar. The first section includes a preferably rectangular llat main wall 20 having a pair of front and

rear end walls

22 and 24 and a pair of side walls 26 formed integrally with the edges thereof and extending therefrom to form a box-like enclosure open on the side opposite the main Wall 20. The other or second section is similarly formed and includes a main wall 30 having a pair of front and

rear end walls

32 and 34 and "ice pair of side walls 36 extending therefrom to form a like enclosure. The two outer case sections may be hingedly attached at their adjacent edges of their respective rear end walls by an integrally formed hinge 38.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 3, and\6, the trays are of similar construction and each includes a generally rectangular flat main wall 40 having a pair of front and rear end walls 42 and 44, respectively, and a pair of side walls 46 formed integrally therewith and extending from the side edges thereof to form a generally box-like enclosure open on the side opposite the main wall. Formed integrally with each front end wall 42 is -a handle element 48 which facilitates grasping of the tray to withdraw it from the outer case. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, each of the tray main walls 40 has a plurality of spaced openings 50 extending therethrough which vare separated from each other by a plurality of posts 52 extending into the tray from the main wall. The purposes of the holes and posts in the tray are to serve as dividers and positioning means for the tablets much in the same manner as partitions would serve. If desired partitions could be substituted for the holes and posts to form a plurality of cells for the individual tablets. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3 each of the trays is formed at the outer edge of its side walls with a longitudinally extending laterally projecting ilange or lip 54 provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches 56 the purpose of which is described later in the specification.

Now referring to FIGURES 5 and 6, it will be seen that the rst or top section 12 of the outer case is pro vided at its forward end with a pair of downwardly projecting guide pins 60 adapted to be received within complementary aligned openings 62 formed in the second or bottom section of the outer case to maintain the sections in alignment with each other. The first or top section may also be provided adjacent its forward end with a pair of downwardly projecting preferably integrally formed latches -64 adapted to ilexibly engage and be retained by a pair of complementary formed stops 66 formed on the forward end of the bottom or second section of the outer case. Thus, the case may =be closed by snapping the latch over the step means and it may -be opened by merely forcing the sections apart. j

Front walls

22 and 32 of the outer case first and second sections may be provided with openings 70a and 70b, respectively, which are aligned with each other and which are adapted to permit the insertion or withdrawal of the trays from the sections of the outer case.

As best seen in FIGURE 3 the main wall of each of the outer case sections may be provided with a pair of integrally formed inwardly converging longitudinally extending guide flanges 72 which form with the respective main walls of the outer case sections longitudinally extending grooves 74 adapted to receive the flanges 54 of the respective trays. These grooves serve as a track for the slidably mounting of the trays to permit their insertion or withdrawal and to maintain lthe trays in proper alignment within the outer case. At its forward end each -of the outer case main walls may 4be provided on its inside with a transversly extending flange or bead 76 adapted to engage the forward edge of the tray rear wall to prevent the tray from being accidentally pulled completely lout of the outer case when the tray is withdrawn for dispensing tablets therefrom. Adjacent the flanges 72 at the forward en-ds of the outer case sections there may be provided a pair of lugs or bosses 78 which serve as indexing means as they are received within the notches 56 of the tray side wall flanges S4; these provide stop means which permit the tray to be Withdrawn to selective predetermined positions so that only one compartment at a time is exposed.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the trays are positioned within the outer case with their main walls in back-toback relationship, and to ll the package with tablets each of the trays is withdrawn and the tablets are inserted in the various compartments. The trays are then pushed back into the container and when it is desired to dispense one or two tablets a bottom tray is pulled out to the necessary stop to permit the dispensing `of tablets when the bottom tray has Ibeen emptied the case is turned over and the top tray then becomes the bottom tray and tablets are dispensed in the same manner.

Thus it will be seen that a simple compact arrangement has been provided for carrying and dispensing tablets one or two at a time in a convenient manner.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for holding and dispensing small articles such as tablets, capsules, -or pills, the combination of:

(a) an outer case including a pair of generally similar first and second sections each having a main wall with a pair of front and rear end walls and a pair of side walls extending therefrom to define a hollow structure and being hingedly interconnected at their rear walls;

(b) a pair of generally similar iirst and second inner trays each having a main wall with a pair of front and rear end walls and a pair of side walls extending therefrom to deiine a tray-like structure open on one side;

(c) said trays being slidably mounted within respective sections of said outer case with their main walls in back-to-back relation and their open sides facing in opposite directions;

(d) the front end walls of said outer case sections having openings to accommodate the insertion and withdrawal of said trays;

(e) cooperating guide .means on said outer case sections and said trays accommodating the sliding movement of the trays into and out of said outer case;

(f) cooperating indexing means on said -outer case sections and said trays accommodating the positioning of the trays at selective predetermined positions for dispensing a desired number of articles as the trays are withdrawn from said outer case.

2. In a device for holding and dispensing small articles such as tablets, capsules, or pills, the combination of:

(a) an outer case;

(b) a pair of generally similar tirst and second inner trays slidably mounted within said outer case with bottom walls disposed in back-to-back relation and open sides facing in opposite directions;

(c) said outer case having an opening to accommodate the insertion and withdrawal of said trays;

(d) cooperating guide means on said outer case and said trays accommodating the sliding movement of the trays into and out of said outer case;

(e) cooperating indexing means on said outer case and said trays accommodating the positioning of the trays at selective predetermined positions for dispensing a desired number of articles as the trays are withdrawn from said outer case.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said tray includes means forming compartments for separating the articles held therein.

4. A device according to claim 2, and including handle means on said tray,

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein said outer case comprises a pair of hingedly interconnected generally similar iirst and second sections each comprising a main wall with a pair of front and rear end walls and a pair of side walls extending therefrom to form a hollow box-like struct-ure.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said case includes complementary means for aligning said sections with each other.

7. A device according to claim 5, wherein said outer case includes latch means for detachably interconnecting said sections.

8. A device according -to claim 2, wherein said guide means includes a pair of longitudinally extending flanges on said tray which are slidably receivable within a pair of longitudinally extending grooves in said outer case.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein said indexing means includes at least one projection on said outer case which is receivable within one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses on a flange of said tray.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 53,045 3/1866 Ryder 190-3 138,000 4/1873 Bliss 190-3 1,507,760 10/1924 Sutherland 31.2-200 2,708,026 5/1955l Duell 206-42 3,186,540 6/1965 Breger.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner,

I. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner.